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Down by yon riverside where ships were sailing,
I met a comely maid weeping and wailing.
"My true love is gone," she cried, "to cross the ocean,
And my mind is like the waves, all waves in motion."
I said, "My pretty fair maid, observe your story,
'Twas your true love and I fought for old England's glory,
And by one unlucky shot we both were parted,
And by that sad wound he had got he died valiant-hearted."
When she heard him say those words she fell distracted
Not knowing what she did nor how she acted.
In coming to herself, "I am free from danger,
Young man you are come too late, I'll wed no stranger."
When he heard her say those words his love grew stronger,
He flew into her arms, he could stay no longer,
He flew into her arms with a great affection,
And he rifled all her charms to his satisfaction.
"Good luck attend the ship brought my love over,
Good luck attend the man that brought him safe there."
Where they both sat down to sing, but she sang clearest,
Like a nightingale in spring, "Welcome home, my dearest."
Collected in 1958 from Everett Bennett of St. Paul's, NL, by Ken Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 2, pp.530-531, by The National Museum of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.
Down by the riverside
Where the ships were sailing,
A lovely maid I spied,
She was weeping and wailing.
I boldly stepped up to her
And I asked what grieved her.
She made me this reply,
None could relieve her.
"For my love is pressed," cried she,
"To cross the ocean,
My heart is like the sea,
All the waves in motion."
"Mark well my lovely lass,
Mark well my story,
It was your true love and I
Fought for England's glory.
"And by one unlucky shot
We both got parted,
Deep were the wounds he got,
He died valiant-hearted."
In hearing him say so
She went quite distracted,
Not knowing where to go,
No, nor how she acted.
Wringing her hands she replied,
She flew up in anger.
"Begone, young man," she cried,
For I want [I'll wed] no stranger."
In hearing her sad song
His love grew stronger,
Into her arms he flew,
He could wait no longer.
He flew into her arms
And with great affection,
He rifled all her charms
To his satisfaction.
"God bless the ship so true
That brought you over,
And God protect that crew
Who always watched o'er you."
Then they both sat down to sing,
But she sang clearest,
Like a nightingale in spring,
"Welcome home, my dearest."
Collected in 1961 from Mrs. Mary Ann Galpin of Codroy, NL, by Kenneth Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 2, pp.532-533, by The National Museum of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.
Kenneth Peacock noted that the beautiful Dorian tune of variant A has a striking similarity to the one used for Bold Wolfe. Variant B is Mixolydian. Its text is more complete and of better quality. Two other variants are similar to Variant A (See notes on Jimmy And Nancy (The Departure) and Seven Long Years I Loved A Sailor.
